SC’s two-hour window for crackers fails to deter city

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 8

The two-hour window set by the Supreme Court’s (SC) for bursting crackers on Diwali to curb pollution couldn’t deter city residents as several police cases were registered on Wednesday.

The SC had allowed bursting of crackers only for two hours (8 pm to 10 pm), but residents kept on doing so till midnight, giving scant regards to the apex court directions.

The police, in its data released here on Thursday, said 13 cases had been registered at different police stations for the violation. Similarly, the police registered 20 cases under the Explosives Act for selling firecrackers without licence.

The district administration had given authority only to 10 traders to sell crackers, but shopkeepers at many markets, especially in Putlighar, Khandwala and Chheharta, sold crackers with impunity.

The district administration and the police had appealed to the people to celebrate Diwali and avoid bursting firecrackers. They had urged residents to adhere to the Supreme Court orders and burst the crackers between 8 pm to 10 pm if they wanted to.

“We cannot deny that people continued to burst firecrackers till late at night. It can’t be refuted that people have become more aware as cracker bursting has reduced as compared to previous years,” said Amrik Singh Pawar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and order).

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamaldeep Singh Sangha said there was a need to make the people aware in this direction. We have been facing an alarming degradation of air quality in the recent years. Bursting of crackers is adding to the problem. People should act in a responsible manner and avoid bursting crackers. As far as the SC order is concerned, we would make it a point to implement it in letter and spirit in future, he added.